Where'd You Go?
by TheVampireSlayer
Summary: An edit of my original fic. Slight BB. See Author Notes for more. PLEASE R&R! Oneshot with possibility for epilogue.


**Title:** "Where'd You Go?"

**Rating:** T (Violence, Adult Themes, Mild Language)

**Genre:** Drama/Angst Oneshot

**Warnings: **Gore and Language

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones or anything affiliated with it, unfortunately. Also, I do not own Fort Minor, although they rock my socks.

**Author Notes:** I know some of this fanfic may be inaccurate, so cut me some slack. The gore and violence are heavy to mild. THIS IS AN EDIT OF THE ORIGINAL FANFICTION! For the original version, search only "M" rated fics with this same title. The song lyrics used are the song "Where'd You Go" by Fort Minor. An epilogue may be written depending on the feedback. READER REVIEWS FEED MY SOUL.

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_Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone._

The incessant sound of gunfire fills his ears, threatening to drown him in painful memories. Seeley Booth looks toward the dust filled sky, in one pleading moment, to take back the last two weeks of his life; to send him back home. Another bullet whizzes past his battered helmet and he is brought back to his cold, cruel reality. This can't be happening.

_She said some days I feel like shit. Some days I wanna quit, and just be normal for a bit. I don't understand why you have to always be gone, I get along, but the trips always feel so long, and, I find myself tryin' to stay by the phone, because your voice always helps me when I feel so alone, but I feel like an idiot. Workin' my day around a call that when I pick up I don't have much to say so: I want you do know it's a little messed up that I'm stuck here waiting, at times debating. Tellin' you that I've had it with you and your career. Me and the rest of the family here singin' "Where'd you go?"_

Dr. Temperance Brennan examined the bones on the table that was mounted on what was referred to as "The Platform" in the quiet hall of the Jeffersonian. Things had been a lot quieter the last two weeks. There was no laughter or snarky jokes; none of Booth's wide smiles to bring them all out of a depressed state. The team once known as "the squints" had long since had the light leave their eyes, and the bounce in their steps had disappeared. Each step through the doors of the lab and into their workstations was an agonizing reminder that tore at their hearts. This can't be happening.

_Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone. Please come back home._

Every muscle in Seeley Booth's body screamed as he ran across another war-torn street in a half crouched position. His face was dark with loose gunpowder, a streak of red slicing through it like a knife; blood from the barrel of another's weapon when it struck his face. He had promptly shot the offender through the eye, and took a moment to gaze in horror at his handiwork, blood spurting from the fresh wound. The screams of pain echoed off the inside of his head, ripping at his heart, tearing apart his soul. It was a sound he knew all too well. God, he wished he didn't. Oh god.

_Yeah, you know the place where you used to live? Used to barbeque up burgers and ribs. Used to have a little party every Halloween with candy by the pile, but now you only stop by every once and a while. I find myself just filling my time, with anything to keep the thought of you from my mind. I'm doin' fine, and I plan to keep it that way. You can call if you find you have something to say. I want you to know it's a little messed up that I'm stuck here waitin', at times debating. Telling you that I've had it with you and your career, me and the rest of the family here singin' "where'd you go?"_

The small team working on the platform kept their eyes cast downward on their work, their faces somber, none of them really caring what became of what they were working on. They kept their eyes away from Temperance out of respect for her dislike of public displays of emotion, as she fought to hold the tears back, still bent over the remains. In a few moments, she would abruptly stand up, quietly leave the platform and shut herself up in her office, needing a moment for herself. Those moments were becoming more and more frequent as the days passed by. If only he knew. If only he could see her, how she had rebuilt her walls and refused to let anyone in; how she no longer jokes or smiles, her voice toneless, eyes despondent. If only he knew.

_Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone. Please come back home._

His hand gripped the barrel of his M16 so tightly his knuckles shone white under the rays of sun that managed to fight through the dust, gunpowder and bullets filling the sky. The heat. The goddamn heat. His uniform seemed even heavier as he ran with his new brothers. His eyes darted around the bazaar, and a wave of panic swept over him. He flew forward, grabbing his fellow soldier by the midsection, sending them both to the ground; his voice rang out, yet it seemed so distant and panicked. He barely recognized it as his own, yelping out a warning of an oncoming RPG, watching them hit the ground barely in time. The rough sand floor tore at his cheek as he lifted his head. More screams. Oh god, those screams; the blood that accompanied them. What he saw; the things he saw every day, scarred him. Cut deep into his being with each scream of agony, with each sight of dark red soaking into the dirt, whether it be from friend or foe. This can't be happening.

_I want you to know it's a little messed up that I'm stuck here waitin', no longer debating. Tired of sittin' and hatin' and making these excuses for why your not around, and feeling so useless. It seems one thing has been true all along: You don't really know what you've got 'til it's gone. I guess I've had it with you and your career. When you come back, I won't be here and you can sing it._

Alone in her office, Temperance curled up in Booth's usual spot on her couch, silent tears slowly dripping their way down her already damp face. Her eyes traced slowly around her sanctuary, letting her things surround her; comfort her; drown out the thoughts that had been haunting her day and night. The piece of paper was still on the small table in front of the couch. The letter. That terrible letter, it's words ringing out with professional cruelty. She closed her eyes, and drew in a slow, ragged breath when the reminder of the letter threatened to suffocate her with sadness and anger. The words echoed in her mind.

By order of the United States Government and the United States Army, Special Agent Seeley Booth is to be reinstated to the 75nd Ranger Regiment due to severe lack of troops in an emergency situation. A transport will be sent in 24 hours to bring you to your local army base for deployment.

Another sob escaped her throat in a pained, gasping breath. Ghastly images of Booth's broken, bleeding body flooded her mind; nauseated her as she clung to the pillow on her couch as if it were the last thing holding her together. Booth shot. Booth stabbed. Booth dead. Emotion pierced through her like a hot knife. Anger, confusion, utter despair. She missed him. More than she had ever missed another in her life. Oh god, she missed him.

_Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone. Please come back home._

He ran. Ran with all of his being. Every few seconds he would slow, raise his firearm and shoot. More screams. More blood spurting, smearing the walls, staining the hands of their loved ones who sometimes rushed to their corpses, bodies racking with sobs. He hated himself. He hated himself for causing so much pain. "Take lives to save lives", his captain had said. But that didn't justify it in his mind. He was _murdering_ these people. Their term for it was "eliminating a threat", but he knew better. "You're doing this for the people you love back home." they say. Temperance and Parker. God, he missed them. He _needed_ them. His eyes burned with unshed tears at even the thought of them. Without them he felt alone. He felt empty. Hollow. It was only them that kept him going through these agonizingly long days as he hung on to his will to live by barely a thread. He looked to the sky and a fleeting wonder washed over him if that somewhere, somehow they were looking up at the same sky, wishing for him; missing him; as he was missing them. God, how he missed them. Oh god.

_Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone._

_Please come back home._

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Please review. If responses are positive, I may write an epilogue. Thanks for reading._  
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